Wrench.



arr irren.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

Application filed. VAugust 2, 1916. kSerialvlo. 112,764.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that 1, HERMAN SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maddock, in the county of Benson, State of North Dakota, h ave inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in l/Vrenches; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to wrenches and has special reference to a wrench of. 'the type used for handling nuts and the like.

@ne object of the invention is to improve and simplify the general construction of devices of this character.

A second object of the invention is to provide a wrench of this character having ratchet means for adjusting the movable jaw, the said movable jaw being further provided with a means supplemental to the ratchet means for insuring line adjustment so as to insure the proper gripping of the nuts.

A third object of the invention is to provide a wrench having a movable jaw comprising separable members, one of which can be forced away from the other for the purpose of engaging the work.

lVith the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparent the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and specilically claimed.

1n the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and

Figure 1 is a side. elevation of a wrench made in -accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view thereof.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a certain wedge used in connection herewith.

In carrying out this invention there is provided a wrench having the usual shank 10 on which is a fixed head 11 and on the other end of the shank 10 is provided the usual handle 12. On one side of this shank 10 are ratchet teeth 13. Y

The movable jaw consists of two members,

one of these members 14 being slidable on the shank 13 and being provided at its end adjacent the handle with a pair of spaced ears 15 wherethrough passes the pivot 16 of a pawl 17 held in engagement with the teeth 13 releasably by means of a spring 18. Carried by this member 14 is a second movable jaw member 19 preferably termed the work engaging member. This member 19 is provided with spaced arms 20 on each side and these arms embrace the forwardly extending portion 21 of the member 14. Each of these arms 20 is provided with a slot 22 and through these slots 22 extend pins 23 for the purpose of holding the members 19 to the member 14 while at the same time permitting said member 19 to be moved toward the fixed jaw 1l away from the member 14. In order to effect this movement of the member 19 the underside of said member is beveled as indicated at 24 and between this beveled face 24 and the member 14 is interposed a wedge 25 having arms 26 engaging the shank 10. Pivotally connected to the member 14 is a lever 27, the pivot being placed intermediate the ends of the lever. One end of the lever 27 is connected to the wedge 25 as indicated at 28 and the other end of the lever is provided with a thumb-piece 29. Intermediate the end of the lever and closely adjacent the thumb-piece there is provided a pawl 30. This lever is preferably formedV of spring metal and the pawl projects toward the member 14 so that it may engage the ratchet 31 formed on the side of said member 14. Thus by means of this lever the wedge may-be forced between the members 14 and 19 or drawn outward to such position that these members may move toward each other.Y Y

In using the device the movable j aw is slid upward toward the nut which it is desired to grasp, the fixed jaw and shank being in position on the nut. After the movable jaw has been slid as far as possible the pawl 17 will engage one of the teeth on the ratchet 13. At this time it ma be that the nut is not tightly gripped an if this is the case then 1the lever 27 is manipulated to force the wedge in between the members 14 and 19 so that the member 19 moves toward the nut and grips it tightly, the pawl 30 holding the lever in position.

After using the device it is merely necessary to raise the pawl 17 by compressing the spring and this will let the fixed jaw slip backward.

There has thus been provided a simple and efiioient device of thekind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that many minor changes may be made in the form` and construction of the invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described but it is wished to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is Yl. In a wrench, a shank having a fixed jaw at one end, a sliding jaw comprising a pair of members one whereof is mounted on the shank, the other member including a work engaging face and spaced arms embracing the sides of the rst member, said arms and first member being provided with coacting guide means,'a wedge interposed between said members and movable to force the members apart, means to lock the rst member member in adjusted position on the shank, a f.

spring lever pivoted intermediate its ends to the first member and having one end connected to the wedge, a pawl carried by the lever, and a ratchet formed on the side of the first member and releasably engaged by said pawl. 1

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN SMITH. `Witnesses A. J. Hmmm, S. B. Bmivro.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

